HOSPITAL food at North Bristol NHS Trust is so good it has won a prestigious award.

The trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead hospitals, has become the first in the south of England to receive the prestigious Food for Life Catering Mark from the Soil Association for its patient meals.

The award comes after the trust adopted a local produce policy, in an attempt to cut food miles and provide healthy, tasty food for patients.

Simon Wood, director of facilities, said: "This really is a fantastic achievement and all credit must go to my catering departments at Frenchay and Southmead for their hard work and dedication in getting this new scheme off the ground.

"The food at North Bristol has been consistently rated as excellent and our food preparation and serving areas have received the highest hygiene ratings from our local councils' environmental health teams.

"The cost to the trust of this new approach has been minimal and in some cases we have saved money by switching to a local supplier, not to mention the reduction in our carbon footprint."

The changes in the trust’s catering arrangements include a partnership with Marshfield Farm Ice Cream. The hospitals also use bread cakes from a bakery in Yatton, milk from a dairy farm in Somerset, fish from St Phillip’s in Bristol and only free range eggs.

Jo Lewis, from the Food for Life Partnership, said: "The Soil Association is delighted that North Bristol NHS Trust has achieved our bronze Food for Life Catering Mark - only the second hospital trust in the country to do so.

"This not only means that patients are able to look forward to freshly prepared meals, free from hydrogenated fats and undesirable additives, to aid their recovery.

"It also means that the trust is being a good corporate citizen, supporting local producers of quality produce and taking action to reduce its carbon footprint.

"We hope that many more hospitals around the country will take confidence from their example and follow in their footsteps."